


Overbearing Love

by M34GS



Category: Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: F/M, M/M, Non-Despair AU, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:14:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28317348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M34GS/pseuds/M34GS
Summary: Kyoko and Byakuya are very protective of their boyfriend, Makoto Naegi. But what happens when they go too far?
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko/Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya, background Ishimondo - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 70





	Overbearing Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kimium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimium/gifts).



> Hi friend! I hope you enjoy this Christmas present :)

If you were to aske Makoto Naegi how he ended up in his current situation, the answer would be: ‘I don’t know’. He swallowed and did his best not to look as nervous as he felt. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck and he found himself wondering absently how Celeste could stand the heat of the stuffy, windowless room, dressed in her layers, hardly showing any skin aside from her face and hands. Yet, even though he felt dizzy from the heat, she was sitting with a perfect smile on her face, red eyes fixed on the man across from her.

_Maybe it’s easier because she’s sitting?_ Makoto found himself wondering. A soft hum brought him back to attention. Celeste wasn’t looking at him but he knew the hum was directed to him. His arms had involuntary relaxed and the tray of small goodies he was holding dipped downward slightly. Makoto blinked and straightened himself, balancing the small tray once more. Celeste said nothing, but the slight upturn of the corner of her mouth let him know she was satisfied once more. He felt his cheeks flush but he couldn’t tell if that was from the heat or the embarrassment of basically behaving like a servant. Still. Celeste had asked him specifically to come with her. And she’d said it was important.

Makoto’s gaze drifted to the small round table in front of Celeste. Piles of poker chips were stacked in front of her, far more than was in front of her opponent. But other than that, Makoto had no idea what was going on. He didn’t know the rules of the game, unable to follow it from the beginning. All that he knew was Celeste was in her element; and the man across from her was in some serious trouble. The man seemed to know that too. He leaned forward, brows crinkling slightly and a bead of sweat dribbled down his nose. Behind him stood another man, in a dark suit and wearing sunglasses. How he could see with those glasses on in the dim lighting of the room remained unknown. Makoto watched the sweat as he wiggled his toes, trying to keep the blood flowing.

The round was over moments later. Celeste laid down her cards in an elegant gesture of her hand and smiled before clasping her hands under her chin, eyes on the man across from her. The man’s face paled at the sight of her hand. He closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath that Makoto couldn’t quite hear, but sounded similar to curses. He flung his hand on the table with a disgusted look so suddenly, Makoto almost jumped. Almost. Celeste smiled.

“Let’s begin the next round, shall we?” she suggested, her voice low and soft. The man glared at her.

“I think not!” he snarled. Celeste didn’t falter, only raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“Don’t ‘oh’ me!” The man growled. Makoto swallowed nervously and shuffled back half a step. “I don’t play with cheaters, girlie!” At once, Celeste’s smile vanished. She drew herself up to appear even taller as she sat and leaned forward, almost as if she were looming over the man, though she was sitting.

“So you claim,” she stated, voice still deep and even, but there was an edge, an air of something deadly and poisonous to it. “Yet, had I not brought my friend here, had him stand at my side, you would have had a perfect view of my hand through the reflection of that mirror on the other side of him.” She tilted her head and Makoto felt a shiver of pity run through him. He knew all too well what it was like to be on the receiving end of one of Celeste’s stares. The man spluttered angrily but Celeste cut him off. “However, I agree. Let’s not play the next round. I have no interest in playing against someone who cannot even admit when they’ve lost.” The man’s face was turning purple and Makoto could see a vessel pulsing on his forehead.

“U-um, I think we should go, Celeste,” Makoto suggested quickly.

“When I am given what I am owed, Makoto,” she answered calmly, staring at the man intently with her large red eyes. Makoto felt a nervous laugh bubble up.

“Um, do-do you think maybe you could let it go this time?” he asked, wide eyes fixed on the man who looked as though he was ready to combust. Celeste did not answer. Then man with the sunglasses stepped forward and placed a large amount of cash on the table. Celeste smiled at him and reached for the money.

All at once, the man across from her lunged. Makoto yelped and rushed in to help his friend. In doing so, the silver tray was flung out of his hands and hit Celeste’s opponent square in the face. Celeste scooped up the money, grabbed Makoto’s arm, and dragged him out of the room with a speed Makoto had never seen her move at before.

The two of them didn’t stop until they were back outside and about two blocks away. Makoto huffed and leaned over with his hands on his knees for support. The sky above was dark, and clouded over, the only light coming from streetlamps and the windows of brightly lit shops and restaurants. Celeste was also struggling to breathe it appeared, though she did a better job at masking it. The only way he could tell was she had yet to straighten her posture completely.

“Th-That…that was…I…are…w-we s-safe?” Makoto finally gasped out. Celeste held the wads of money tight to herself. Makoto found himself wondering how her black hair could still be in such perfectly curled pigtails after running for two blocks.

“I…believe we are out of trouble for the time being,” she responded as steadily as she could.

“Trouble? What sort of trouble?” an authoritative voice asked. The two of them recognized the voice immediately. Makoto spun around with a smile, but Celeste remained facing away.

Makoto’s smile only widened as his eyes fell on his two favourite people. “Byakuya! Kyoko,” he greeted his boyfriend and girlfriend warmly. Kyoko’s calm and collected expression didn’t change, but Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

“I asked a question,” he stated. “What sort of trouble did you drag Makoto into, Celeste?” There was silence for a beat. “Is it not considered rude to ignore someone when they ask you a question?”

“B-Byakuya, calm down! It’s ok,” Makoto interrupted hastily. He tried to keep his smile up, but it felt false on his face now. “Celeste just asked me to accompany her is all!” At that, Celeste finally turned around.

“I don’t need you to explain for me, Makoto,” she stated. She regarded Byakuya and Kyoko coolly. “I needed help at an event and asked Makoto to come with me. He agreed because he is my friend.” Kyoko narrowed her violet eyes.

“Celeste, we have talked about this. You don’t drag Makoto to your gambling events,” she reminded the black-haired girl.

“Indeed,” Byakuya added. “Makoto should not associate with such dangerous people.”

Celeste rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh dear. It seems you two have forgotten again; Makoto is his own person and he can make his own decisions. I _asked_ him to come, but he said yes of his _own_ _free_ _will_ ,” she declared with a smile that was a little too sharp to be innocent. “Do you understand that?” Makoto let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Um, it’s like she said. I’m the one who agreed to come. Celeste didn’t force me,” he admitted. Kyoko pursed her lips and Byakuya folded his arms across his chest with a small ‘hmph’. “Come on, you two, we’re both ok, and that’s what matters, right?” Makoto reached out and gently tugged on Byakuya’s arm. His boyfriend stared down at him for a moment, before caving in. He sighed and relaxed his arms, opting to hold hands with Makoto instead of pout. Kyoko didn’t comment further on Celeste’s…less than safe activities.

“It’s past dinner time, Makoto,” she stated instead. “We came to get you because we haven’t seen you all day.” Makoto felt his cheeks heat up and looked at the ground sheepishly.

“Ah. Sorry,” he replied. He glanced up at them with a hopeful expression. “Um…we could go out to eat?”

“Well since the cafeteria will be closed by the time we arrive back to Hope’s Peak, that seems to be the obvious option,” Byakuya retorted, but he didn’t let go of Makoto’s hand.

Makoto smiled, until a thought crossed his mind. He blinked and turned to Celeste. “Will you be coming with us, Celeste?” His face was the picture of innocence, unaware the daggers being shot toward his friend by the gazes of his two significant others. 

Celeste returned his gaze for a moment, then gave a small smile. “Not this time, I am afraid. I have a prior engagement I am already late for.” Makoto blinked again and tilted his head.

“Wha…but then why were we…” He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Byakuya tugged on Makoto’s arm and started walking away, practically dragging the poor boy behind him. “W-wait! Byakuya!” Makoto flailed, but Byakuya had an iron grip.

The two girls watched as Byakuya dragged Makoto into a nearby restaurant. Neither of them missed the small frown on his face before the doors shut. As the doors closed, the girls turned to face each other, regarding each other with cool stares.

Kyoko was the first to speak. “I think it would be in your best interests not to bring Makoto to any future gambling activities,” she declared calmly, but her violet eyes had a glint of ice in them. Celeste raised an eyebrow, ruby red eyes equally as dangerous.

“Oh? And did you forget what I said _already_? Makoto is his own person. I didn’t force him, I _asked_ and _he chose_ to come,” she answered, slowly and deliberately. Kyoko narrowed her eyes.

“Then, it would be best for everyone involved if you _didn’t_ ask.”

Celeste laughed, a light and airy giggle. “Oh, dear. Kyoko, do you honestly think you can scare me?” She leaned forward and her demeanor changed, her eyes wide and intense, her posture more menacing. “I have been threatened by every big gambler in this world. I have bet my own body parts against dollars and won. I am not afraid. What could you possibly do that would make me comply to what _you_ want?”

A faint smile graced Kyoko’s lips. “Perhaps…a video describing all your tells would find its way onto the internet…”

Celeste’s eyes widened. She stepped back, nearly dropping her money. “You…you _wouldn’t!_ ” she hissed, her regal accent dropping, allowing her real voice to slip through. Kyoko’s smile grew.

“Leave Makoto out of your gambling plans, and I won’t.”

“You! There’s no way you could possibly know! No one has been able to beat me! I’m not only the Ultimate Gambler! I may as well be the Ultimate Liar as well!” Celeste gripped the money tightly as she spoke and took another step back.

“No one has beaten you _yet_ …but none of them were the Ultimate Detective, analyzing hours upon hours of footage of you gambling at all different games, all different ages.” Kyoko tilted her head. “If you don’t want the video I made detailing all your ‘tells’ and what they mean to get leaked to the internet, I suggest you find a better way to spend quality time with Makoto.” Celeste swallowed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her liar’s mask was back in place.

“It would seem that Makoto doesn’t enjoy gambling. Perhaps next time he and I can go to the library instead. The towering shelves and old books give quite the aesthetic,” she stated, as if the two of them had never been at odds. Kyoko nodded.

“I am certain Makoto would enjoy that,” she agreed. With a small smirk and a dip of her head, Kyoko turned and headed to the restaurant her boyfriends sat in. Celeste watched her walk inside, and when the door shut behind Kyoko, she let out a small sigh and looked down at the money she held. She gave a half-hearted laugh and shook her head before making her way back to the school.

***

Celeste was not the only one to face the ‘wrath’ of Makoto Naegi’s boyfriend and girlfriend. Far from it. It had become well-known by this point that their protective streak was a mile wide. In fact, it was so well known that anyone who deliberately put Makoto in a situation that was not up to their safety standards was considered either a fool, or incredibly brave.

Mondo Oowada was both.

“A-are you sure it’s safe?!” Makoto asked for the hundredth time as he squeezed his arms around Mondo’s waist.

“I’m tellin’ ya! It’s safe!” Mondo replied, shouting over the roar of the bike’s engine as it roared to life. Makoto squeaked and clung tighter to Mondo. The biker only laughed.

“Wh-what about helmets?” Makoto shouted, his voice higher than usual. Mondo shook his head.

“Don’t need ‘em!” he called back. Makoto’s eyes went wide and he was about to protest when Mondo accelerated. The bike slammed forward and Makoto shrieked. Wind whistled past his ears and he could hardly see as it stung his eyes. He held tight to Mondo and screwed his eyes shut. His hands gripped tighter every time he felt the bike dip in a turn.

_We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die. This is it. We are so dead,_ the words raced through Makoto’s mind on repeat. His heart galloped in his chest, and his stomach felt like it got left behind at the start point.

The world disappeared around him. The only thing Makoto knew was the feel of Mondo’s jacket, the smell of his hair gel and the bike’s exhaust, the sound of the wind whistling by their ears. He gripped Mondo so tightly he was sure he cracked at least one of the other boy’s ribs. Mondo, for his part, neither teased Makoto, nor slowed down.

Somehow, it felt like both an eternity and no time at all had passed when Mondo finally began to slow. It was as they came to a full stop that a new sound filtered into Makoto’s ears, which had previously been deaf to everything except the wind. Makoto opened his eyes cautiously. His face was squished against Mondo’s broad back, turned to the side. He could see a cop car not far away, lights flashing and sirens blaring.

“Tch. Damn,” Mondo muttered. Makoto didn’t answer, but pried his arms off his friend. He stumbled off the bike, tripped and landed on his backside. “Shit! Makoto, you ok?” Mondo was off the bike in a moment, hovering over him, eyes wide.

Makoto blinked as the world swayed around him, but didn’t get the chance to answer. A door on the police car opened and slammed shut.

“MONDO OOWADA!” a familiar voice shouted. Although still dizzy, Makoto could see the exact moment Mondo realized his life may just be forfeit.

“T-Taka! Babe…listen!” he began to protest. Kiyotaka didn’t give him the chance to finish.

“How _could_ you?! Speeding around on your bike like a delinquent!” He snapped. Makoto’s head lolled to the side as he tried to watch what was happening. He was barely supporting himself enough to stay sitting upright.

“Babe! I _am_ a delinquent! It’s what I _do_ ,” Mondo protested. Makoto’s rattled brain tried to focus on what was happening, and vaguely the thought came to him that that was a very solid argument. Kiyotaka disagreed.

“This is _not_ what you do! Racing around the streets like a maniac! You weren’t even wearing a helmet! And you put Makoto in the same danger!” As he was shouting, Makoto watched a black limousine pull up to the scene. It stopped, and the door opened, revealing his two favourite people. “I rode here with my father to talk some sense into you! You! You! Reckless! Careless! Flippant! Completely! Arrogant!” Kyoko and Byakuya approached Makoto as Kiyotaka continued to chew Mondo out, his father watching from the driver’s seat of the police car with a neutral expression.

“Makoto, are you alright?” It was Kyoko who spoke to him first. Makoto’s dizziness was subsiding, and he blinked slowly before answering.

“Um. I think so? But…Mondo is getting chewed out by Taka,” he replied. He flexed his fingers in front of himself and tilted his head side to side, trying to ground himself in his body. “I didn’t know it was going to be like that, riding a bike…”

“We aren’t here for either of them. We’re here for you,” Byakuya answered sharply. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “And if you’re really ok, then why don’t you show us and stand up?” Makoto blinked again.

“Right.” He put his hands on the asphalt and pushed up…and promptly tipped over onto his side.

Kyoko sighed and shook her head. She stepped forward and offered him her hand. “Here.” Makoto gave her a weak but grateful smile and latched onto her hand. Kyoko heaved him upward and Makoto grabbed onto her other shoulder for balance. “Come on, let’s go,” Kyoko told him and started to guide him toward the limousine. Byakuya went ahead of them and opened the door. Makoto turned his head to where Mondo was now profusely apologizing to Kiyotaka. Kyoko shook her head. “Leave them, we’re going. Ishimaru’s dad is in the car, he’ll take them both home.”

Makoto followed her lead and stumbled forward into the limo. He plopped down on the seat and slid in more. Kyoko followed gracefully and Byakuya entered last, shutting the door behind him. “So. Makoto. Care to explain yourself?” Byakuya crossed his arms again as he spoke.

Makoto laughed nervously. “Ahaha…um…well…Mondo wanted to show me the upgrades Kazuichi made to his bike…and I said it ‘looks cool’ and he got really excited and asked if I wanted to ride it…”

“And did you?” Kyoko asked. Makoto rubbed the back of his neck.

“Wellll….I mean…he was really, _really_ excited…” he mumbled.

Byakuya rolled his eyes. “So, that was a reason to risk your life?”

“I…didn’t know that it was gonna be like that,” Makoto admitted sheepishly. Kyoko shook her head.

“I don’t know how you can be so trusting of others like that,” she stated. Makoto looked down and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Well, I mean, he’s our friend…wouldn’t you trust him? He didn’t mean anything bad by it,” he mumbled. Byakuya shook his head.

“I wouldn’t call him my friend. We’re acquaintances at best,” he stated haughtily. Kyoko and Makoto shared a look. “What? Why are you two making those faces? I am far above that commoner and I don’t understand why you, Makoto, continue to associate with people like him.” Makoto raised his eyebrows at his boyfriend.

“Mmhmm, keep telling yourself that,” he sighed. He leaned onto Kyoko, who wrapped her arm around him and stroked his hair. Byakuya gave a ‘hmph’ and looked out the tinted window. Makoto shook his head. “How did you two find me anyway?” Byakuya rolled his eyes. Kyoko smirked.

“I’m the Ultimate Detective, remember? I’ll always find you,” she answered. Makoto bit the inside of his cheek and his brow furrowed slightly.

***

Makoto didn’t know when it really started bothering him, Byakuya and Kyoko cutting in every time he was with friends. At first, it was cute, them being protective. But, slowly, he began feeling more and more like he was being suffocated, being cut off from friends. And then, it all came to a breaking point.

“H-Hiro…are you sure we should be doing this…those guys look angry,” Makoto hissed. Hiro just lazily reached up and stretched with an easy-going grin. The two of them had been walking around some stores, just hanging out after having lunch together on a weekend.

“It’s good, it’s good! I know what I’m doing,” he answered, waving Makoto off as he continued to smile at the irate-looking men in front of him. They were tall, all taller than either of the students, with broad shoulders and arms covered in tattoos.

“Oi. You’re the kid that read me my fortune the other day!” the closest man growled. Hiro smiled and gave a lazy wave.

“Yup! That’s me,” he declared. Makoto winced inwardly and backed up a few paces.

“H-Hiro,” he mumbled hesitantly.

The man’s glare turned into a grin. “Well, thanks, Kid! You were right. Those _were_ the numbers I needed. Thought it was a winning lottery or something, but then it turns out that’s my father-in-law’s birthday, and I’d forgotten!” He rubbed his bald head sheepishly. “You really saved me.” Hiro laughed and the man laughed along with him. Makoto noticed the other men had also relaxed and were wearing pleasant expressions. “Anyway, I figured since you’re and Ultimate and all, it would be good for you to read my buddies’ futures too!”

“Ah, no problem at all!” Hiro replied with a nod. “I can do a quick reading for each of you, though it will come with a price! I have a thirty percent success rate, after all.” The man nodded eagerly.

“Money is no issue! We got enough,” he replied. Hiro’s grin widened.

“Alright, let’s get started!”

Makoto watched with a hesitant awe as Yasuhiro hemmed and hawed over each man’s palm and closed his eyes before spitting out vague and cryptic messages to each of them. _They’ve got to know this isn’t real, right? He totally looks like he’s just messing around._

Yet, not one of the men grew angry or skeptical. Instead, some of them frowned, some of them nodded as if they understood everything, others pursed their lips, deep in thought. And the wad of money Hiro was collecting grew and grew.

As the line of men getting their fortune told dwindled and finally each of the strangers had dispersed, Makoto felt his shoulders relax. Even though nothing happened, he couldn’t help but wait for someone to raise a fuss, to claim the prices were unfair, to shout ‘this is a hoax’. He approached Hiro now. The older boy was humming to himself as he counted the money in his hand.

“Um, Hiro?” Makoto asked hesitantly. Hiro looked up from the money.

“Yeah?”

“Is…are you sure this is ok? Won’t they be angry if the predictions don’t come true? What happens then? Should you really have made them pay so much?” Once he started, Makoto couldn’t stop the questions. Hiro’s smile disappeared and he pocketed the cash with a sigh.

“What do you mean? ‘Should I have made them pay so much’? I didn’t _make_ them do anything! They wanted a service, I named a price, and they were willing and able to pay it,” Hiro replied. He stretched his arms over his head and brushed some of his wild hair out of his face before dropping his arms to his sides. “And _I_ think it was a fair price! I’m the Ultimate Clairvoyant, after all. I have a thirty percent success rate!” He started making his way back toward Hope’s Peak.

“Is…is that really a high rate of success?” Makoto queried as he trotted after Hiro to catch up. Hiro stopped and whirled around to face him.

“A high rate?! _Of course_ it’s a high rate!” he exclaimed. Makoto blinked and took a step back. “Do you have any idea how influential the present is on the future? We make so many choices, each and every day! And all of those choices can influence how our future will turn out! Some have more weight than others. The future is never set in stone! Don’t you know the butterfly effect?! There are billions and billions of choices, hundreds of billions of outcomes! So seeing those and sifting through to find the right ones, with a thirty percent rate of succeeding? It’s hard work!”

“O-oh,” was all Makoto could manage in reply. Yasuhiro sighed and his shoulders drooped, his excited energy suddenly gone.

“It’s alright. You’re not the only one who thinks it’s a hoax. Not a lot of people have much respect for clairvoyants these days,” he mumbled. He stared at the ground for a moment, then straightened himself with a forced laugh. “Anyway, we should be getting back to Hope’s Peak. Byakuya and Kyoko are looking for you.”

“Oh. W-wait. Are they really?” Makoto tilted his head.

“Well, let’s get back and you can see for yourself,” Hiro replied with a small smile. Makoto returned his smile. They continued walking, now side by side, to the school.

The two of them were hardly inside the main entrance when Makoto heard a sharp voice calling his name. With a start, he turned his head to see Byakuya approaching quickly, with Kyoko on his heels. Normally, Makoto would be ecstatic to see his beautiful, smart and sharply dressed boyfriend and his equally stunning, stoic and lilac-haired girlfriend. But not when they had expressions like that. Byakuya glared as he approached, and when he was close enough he reached out and yanked Makoto close to him.

“What are you doing, hanging out with this riff-raff, Makoto?” Byakuya demanded.

“Wha- _riff-raff_? Hiro’s our classmate!” Makoto protested.

“Yeah!” Hiro added vehemently. “I’m no ‘riff-raff’!” Kyoko narrowed her eyes at him.

“ _You’re_ the one who’s most likely to get Makoto into dangerous situations,” she declared coolly.

“I am _not_!” Hiro argued, sounding more like a petulant child than an angry high school student. Byakuya tightened his grip on Makoto’s arm.

“You keep Makoto away from your shady deals!” he snapped. Hiro’s face reddened and Makoto could see tears shining in his eyes.

“You! You! You guys are mean!” Hiro shouted and he dashed out of sight into the school. Makoto watched him run away, his own hands trembling. As Hiro disappeared from view, Makoto yanked his arm away from Byakuya. When Byakuya reached for him again, he pulled away.

“No. You’re hurting me,” he replied, not doing anything to keep the edge out of his voice. He turned away from his boyfriend and girlfriend, heading toward the dorms.

“Makoto,” Kyoko called after him, but he did not answer. He kept his gaze forward and his steps quick and decided. He heard the two of them fall into step behind him, but Makoto just flexed his fingers and continued forward. His eyes burned with unshed tears, but he blinked them back furiously. He reached his dorm room and opened it in silence, but stepped aside and finally faced his lovers. He didn’t speak, just glared and nodded his head toward his room. Byakuya looked as if he wanted to protest, but Kyoko took his hand and led him inside before he could say anything. Makoto followed them, slamming the door shut behind him.

For a moment, the three of them stood there, Makoto facing Byakuya and Kyoko. Makoto closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. When he opened them, he spoke. “This is unbelievable.” His voice was wobbly, even though he did his best to control it. “Hiro…he’s my friend! Did you _see_ how upset you made him?”

“We were just worried,” Kyoko began, but Makoto cut her off, stunning both her and Byakuya into silence.

“I don’t want to hear that anymore! You two have _got_ to realize that you can’t worry about me every time I’m not with you! Like, I have other friends, and I want to hang out with them sometimes,” Makoto snapped. He clenched his fists at his sides. “I can hang out with the others if I want to, I don’t need you two to come in and ‘rescue’ me _every_ time. Hiro and I had lunch today! And yeah, he told some people’s fortunes, but nothing bad happened! And then when we got back, _you two made him cry_!” He glared at Byakuya and Kyoko, but neither of them met his eyes. Byakuya had his arms crossed and was looking away, but his cheeks had a pink tinge to them and he gripped his own arms tightly. Kyoko looked down at the floor, her face an expressionless mask except for a small crinkle between her eyebrows. Makoto swallowed before continuing, his voice quieter now, but no less sharp. “I expect both of you to apologize to Hiro. And this…this…whatever the hell you’re doing to try and ‘protect’ me…this stops now. I am the same age as you two. I am my own person. I can make my own decisions. You can’t…wrap me up in bubble wrap and keep me safe from the entire world. What kind of life would that be?”

He waited now, silently watching the two of them. Kyoko responded first. “You are right,” her voice was low and soft, with a slight tremor, and her large eyes, though fixed on the floor, were shinier than usual. “We crossed a line. That behaviour was unacceptable. Yasuhiro deserves our apologies.”

Makoto turned to Byakuya, who pursed his lips and glared at the wall. “I don’t like the idea of apologizing to someone lower than myself,” he muttered. His gaze flicked to Makoto and he sighed reluctantly. “But it wouldn’t do for me to refuse to acknowledge when I am in the wrong. No progress or growth can be made that way,” he muttered finally. Makoto felt his lips tremble, and the tears he’d been holding back finally spilled over.

“Thank you. I love you two a lot, I really do,” he mumbled as he wiped at his face with his sleeves. His vision blurred from the tears and Makoto heard a flurry of motion. Gentle arms wrapped around him, a gloved hand tucking his head close to a shoulder. And then more arms, someone taller, cradling both him and Kyoko.

“We’re so, so sorry, Makoto,” Kyoko murmured in his ear. Makoto clung to her with one hand, the other hand finding comfort resting on Byakuya’s chest. Byakuya said nothing, but one of his hands reached up to gently caress Makoto’s hair. Makoto leaned into the touch, letting the tears slide silently down his cheeks as he breathed in the comforting smell of his girlfriend’s perfume and his boyfriend’s cologne.

They stayed like that for a while, the three of them standing together, clinging to each other. Makoto wasn’t sure how long they were standing there before he pulled away to look at his girlfriend and boyfriend. He sniffled slightly, rubbing the tear tracks off his cheeks. Kyoko gave him a small, but comforting smile.

“You…you two should really go to Hiro and apologize…he was really upset and hurt,” Makoto mumbled finally, his voice hoarse from crying. Byakuya and Kyoko nodded. Makoto managed a trembling smile. “Thank you, again.”

Kyoko stroked the side of his face. “You don’t have to thank us for this, Makoto. We’re the ones who upset you and Yasuhiro in the first place. The least we can do is make amends.”

“We can stop…following you around or seeking you out when you’re with the others,” Byakuya added, though he sounded very reluctant. “But if you’re ever in any danger, you should call us immediately.” Makoto nodded.

“I can text or call you or Kyoko if I feel like I’m not safe,” he agreed. Byakuya nodded stiffly and released Kyoko and Makoto fully from his embrace. Kyoko squeezed his shoulder and let go as well. She turned to Byakuya.

“I believe we should go and find Yasuhiro now,” she stated. Byakuya didn’t reply, but Kyoko didn’t wait. She turned around and headed for the door, confident her taller boyfriend would follow. And he did. Makoto could feel himself relax as he watched his two lovers leave on their way to make amends with his friend. His felt his heart swell with love for the two people who not only listened to his concerns, but also worked to change for him.

_This is what love is, isn’t it?_ He thought. _People listening, changing, growing, all for each other…a warm, comforting feeling. This is love._

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that! It was a lot of fun to write and I really worked hard :)
> 
> Merry Christmas!


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